Exports are driving red meat demand. August export data was released yesterday, and beef shipments were $1.04 billion for the month (a record for any month), and pork exports were $634 million. Part of that was higher prices; August was only the second highest volume of the year for beef exports, despite the value record, May’s volume was larger. Nonetheless, those values were also driven by volume. Compared to August of last year, beef export value was up 55 percent, and volume was up 21 percent. For pork, export value was up 20 percent and volume was up 4 percent, and for the year to date, pork exports are on a pace ahead of last year’s record volume. More volume at higher prices defines increased demand for U.S. red meat. A...
What You Need to Know Today: Risk-on money flow was present in the markets Thursday with headlines in Iran and the Black Sea driving the move. Russia attacked more of Ukraine’s processing and export facilities, including a Bunge facility near the Black Sea. One of the facilities hit was...
Key Takeaways: The significance of $100-per-barrel crude depends largely on how long prices remain elevated, as sustained high energy costs are more likely to influence longer-term agricultural decisions. Higher crude oil prices raise farm production costs most directly through diesel, while a...
Monday was Labor Day, the traditional end to the summer grilling season and high demand for cattle. Additionally, it marks the calendar end of summer heat and a transition into more moderate temperatures. As such, the next two months are the largest marketing periods of the year for feeder catt...
From WPI Consulting
Forecasting developments in production agriculture
On behalf of a private U.S. agricultural technology provider, WPI’s team generated an econometric model to forecast the movement of concentrated corn production north and west from the traditional U.S. Corn Belt. WPI’s model has subsequently provided quantitative support to a multi-million-dollar investment into short-season corn variety development. WPI’s methodology included a series of interviews with regional grain elevators and seed consultants. Emphasizing outreach and communication with stakeholders who possess intimate sectoral knowledge – on-the-ground insights – is a regular component of WPI’s methodologies, made possible by WPI’s ever-growing network of industry contacts.